


Fellow Shadow-Walker

by fcktamlin



Category: A Court of Thorns and Roses Series - Sarah J. Maas
Genre: Cute, Drabble, F/M, Funny
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-07-22
Updated: 2017-07-22
Packaged: 2018-12-05 07:41:50
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,406
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11573487
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/fcktamlin/pseuds/fcktamlin
Summary: Az, Nuala, and Cerridwen find out Elain can access shadows, they show her all the funny things happening in the Inner-Circle. Rhys sewing dresses in his fashion lair, Cassian talking to himself in his giant mirror like pumping himself up for the day or talking to Nesta, making the shadows look like wings in Amren’s place so she thinks Az is spying on her but it’s the spy’s inside joke.





	Fellow Shadow-Walker

One moment Elain was sitting on her bed and the next moment she was almost swimming in an inky black. She moved her hand and the black swirled around her. It was almost warm but not in a temperature way, in a comforting way. The same way her favorite food was warm as it settled in her stomach and she was reminded of home. The same way she felt when the scent of her favorite blue dahlias enveloped her. She looked around the black and realized that it was hazy, slightly transparent so that she could see that she was still in her room. She moved from the bed and found that she could walk around the room and still be encased in the black. And then she realized what was happening: she was in the shadows. Excitement spread throughout her body. Finally she could understand where Azriel went, how Nuala and Cerridwen got around the house unnoticed. As she approached the door, however, the black dissipated and daylight came streaming back into her consciousness. She swore at how sunny it was, was it always this bright?, and covered her eyes with her hand. But a small smile spread across her face when she realized that now she had something to have fun with.

She spent the next few days finding out how she even faded into the shadows. She learned she could summon them and she could have herself become one. They welcomed her each time, but she was still bound to her room for some reason. She could never seem to move past the doorframe, even with it open. And it was at one of these moments that Azriel peeked his head in looking for her, only to find her materialize, surrounded briefly by the inky black.

He blinked in surprise. And then a wry smile spread over his features.

“So, a fellow shadow-walker lives among us?” A sheepish look came over Elain’s features as she faced him. He strode over to her and took her hand, murmuring softly, “Finally, another to share the fun with.”

Elain gasped slightly when they faded into the shadows again, and she let him lead her past the doorway. Once they cleared the room, she stopped him and grabbed his arm.

“I haven’t been able to do that!” she whispered, giddily. He looked to her with amusement in his eyes. “Leave the room, I mean. Every time I tried, I would fade back into the room.”

“Maybe you just needed a guide,” he replied.

They walked through the House, hand in hand, in a seemingly aimless way. It wasn’t until Elain heard the voices that she realized where they were headed.

Nuala and Cerridwen were in Feyre and Rhysand’s room, arranging their freshly laundered clothes in the dresser, discussing an outfit for Feyre to wear to the Court of Nightmares. Elain realized she could see them quite clearly, it was just as if there was a dark veil in front of her eyes. Azriel curled a shadow out to catch their attention, and the twins slowly faded into better view before Elain and Azriel.

“Well, well, well,” Nuala smirked. “Look who joined the dark side.”

Cerridwen grinned. “Are you training a new spy, Az?” Elain looked to Azriel’s face to find him studying her.

“Not a spy, but I think it would be…fun to show her the secrets we know.” Cerridwen nodded and Nuala cackled.

“I suggest the Commander’s room if you’re beginning the tour,” Nuala whispered, conspiratorially. “I believe the Emissary is to be there now.” Elain gasped and looked between the twins.

“So they’re really a…a thing?” she asked, looking between the twins, who both looked to Azriel, expectantly. She turned to him and poked his bicep. “Are they, Spymaster?” Azriel chuckled at her use of his official title and nodded. Joy swept through her. Finally. “Well, what’re we waiting for? Let’s go watch the drama unfold.” A slight push was all it took to get Azriel to begin leading her towards Cassian’s room.

Walking through the shadows was vaguely similar to winnowing in that there was a slight pressure surrounding her. But they were able to glide, almost as if they were swimming. Their feet were, of course, still touching the ground, but the steps they took seemed unaffected by gravity. It was glorious.

They came upon Cassian’s door and found it to be open. Azriel seemed to sigh in relief. 

Elain poked her head through the doorway…to find Nesta staring down the Commander. Cassian ran his finger down Nesta’s arm, slowly, until his hand found hers. Elain almost jumped for joy when her sister gripped Cass’s hand and pulled him closer to her. As Cassian whispered, “Nes,” Elain turned away, dragging Azriel with her.

“Let’s let them have that moment alone, yeah?” Azriel smirked and nodded in response. “So? What other secrets is this house hiding, Shadowsinger?”

He grinned down at her. “Have you ever wondered where Feyre gets her amazing clothes?”

Elain groaned. “Ugh, yes! Does she have a personal shopper?”

Azriel considered this and shrugged. “Sort of.”

They floated through the shadowed House and came upon a small room Elain had never even bothered to look in before. The door was open a crack and Azriel gestured for her to look. She peered into the small room to find it strewn with vibrant fabrics. There were a few mannequins in the room, each dressed in a different Night Court fashion. But the real surprise was Rhys tirelessly sewing jewels onto a large garment, a gown of some sort. Elain whipped her head around.

“No. Way.” Az nodded. “He makes all those himself?” Another nod. She turned back around a murmured under her breath, “Now that’s love.”

Azriel then led her back to her own room.

“No other fun things happening? No one else to spy on?” Elain couldn’t help the pout that overcame her features.

“Darling, this is when the real fun begins.” Her cheeks flushed as she considered the statement. But the flush quickly turned into awe as she saw what Azriel had created with the shadows surrounding him.

He offered the dark bouquet to her and she accepted it with an enormous smile.

“How did you do that!?”

He spent the next few hours showing her, both within the darker realm and in the light, how to bend and manipulate the shadows into whatever she desired. She giggled as a small, inky cat brushed her fingertips with it’s head and gasped in awe at the recreation of Starfall Azriel had created above their heads. With ever smile she let spread across her face, Azriel created even more dark wonders. When he left to get ready for dinner, she repaid him by blowing a small, black heart from the palm of her hand to his chest, and grinned when a blush creeped over his tan cheeks.

They ate dinner with the rest of the Circle, both sharing conspiratorial looks whenever Nesta and Cassian touched or when Mor agonized over Feyre’s most recent spectacular outfit. Elain chose a seat next to Azriel, so no one really noticed when she curled her own shadows around her fingers. 

That night, she decided to test out her newfound abilities. She wandered through the House, creating small shadow-butterflies and sending them into the dark, sending a few flowers beneath Azriel’s door. But she was happiest the next morning when she awoke to find her favorite project had accomplished what she had wished. 

“Azriel, you inconsiderate Illyrian! How dare you spy on me in the middle of the night!” Elain could hear Amren shouting from her own room. She giggled silently at Azriel’s reply.

“I have absolutely no idea what you’re talking about. I was working with Rhys on something last night.”

Elain heard the smack.

“Don’t you lie to me! I saw the shadow of your fucking wings on my wall!”

Elain was smiling to herself when Azriel knocked on her door. 

“Good morning, Spymaster.”

“I didn’t realize a sweet girl like you liked to play pranks.” She spotted his small smile and the gleam in his eyes.

“Maybe I’m not as sweet as you think.” A laugh burst from his lips. “By the way,” she trailed her hand up to his, “what were you working on with Rhys?”

He stilled briefly. “Nothing.”

“Oh, so that wasn’t you asking him for sewing lessons?”

**Author's Note:**

> a requested fic! hope u like it!!!! tysm for reading, and if u wanna get 2 know me my tumblr is fck-tamlin


End file.
